Does anyone have a bread machine that bakes really well?

12 years ago

Preferably one that makes a standard sized loaf. I'm thinking ahead to a birthday gift early next year. Someone who wants to start making homemade bread but doesn't want to fuss with the baking part.

I've got two machines -- a Zojirushi BBCC-X20 and a Panasonic SD-YD250. The Zojirushi does a fabulous job kneading all kinds of doughs, but it's not so great when it comes to baking in the machine. The top crust comes out much lighter than the sides and bottom. It doesn't bother me too much because I usually make rolls, buns, bagels, and boules. During the summer when it's so hot, I use the Panasonic because it bakes more uniformly. However, it's got a weird shape -- very tall, squat loaves.

So, do any of you have bread machines that make traditional sized loaves and do a good job of the baking part? With evenly browned crust (or as even as a bread machine can produce).

Just trying to get some ideas. Thanks!

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Comments (16)

arkansas girl
12 years ago
Sounds like you have two of the best machines already with a lot of "dough" (pun intended) wrapped up in them! I have an Oster that bakes like cr*p! But I've started just baking the bread in the oven and it turns out fantastic! I just could never get a decent loaf out of it baking in the machine.
nancyofnc
12 years ago
I bought the newer Z machine that has a top browning element BB-PAC20 - "Home Bakery Virtuoso Breadmaker". It has a 2# standard loaf size pan. I use it for my gluten free loaves that are difficult to look appetizing without some top browning (it has a GF setting that really works well). It has two short mixer paddles in the bottom and really does a great job of making bread start to finish, and I'm pretty picky about bread from a machine. I have 4 Goodwill finds and then I spent real money on this new one for exclusively GF. The gluten free recipes I like best are from the "125 Best Gluten-Free Bread Machine Recipes" in case anyone is interested.
Nancy
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lyfia - #1. Along with your new Zo, I'd also suggest a copy of the book, "Bread Machines For Dummies" by Glenna Vance and Tom Lacalamita. When I give bread machine classes I give this book to my students. It will give you a wealth of basic and advanced information, as well as being filled with lots of great recipes. I've never had a recipe fail out of this book. #2. Read the manual that comes with your machine and use some of the recipes in it. These recipes are designed for this bread machine and tend to be successful for newbies. #3. When converting your traditional recipes, you need to be careful how much flour there is in the recipe. The Zo V-20 and X-20 have a 5-cup flour capacity if you are going to bake in it. If you are mixing dough in it, you can use more flour than that. #4. ALWAYS check the condition of the dough during the first 5-minutes (or so) of kneading and adjust it accordingly. Don't be afraid to raise the lid and check the dough during the mixing/kneading stage. The dough should be formed into a very soft, sticky ball. If the dough is sticking to the sides or the bottom of the pan, you need to add more flour (1-2 T. at a time). If the dough is crumbly and not forming a ball, you need to add warm water. It is better to err on the side of a wet dough than a hard stiff dough. #5. If you choose to make a small 1# loaf of bread, I'd suggest you NOT bake it in the bread machine. The pan is designed to bake twice that amount and a 1# loaf is going to be really wide and not very high if baked in the machine. Choose 1.5 or 2 pound loaves if you bake in the machine. I generally make a 2#+ amount of dough and make it into two loaves. Or I'll make one loaf and use the remaining dough for 6 hot dog or 6 hamburger buns, 6 sticky pecan rolls, or an 8" pan of dinner rolls - all from one recipe of dough. #6. When baking outside the bread machine, I scale the dough (weigh it on a kitchen scale) to make sure I place it in the correct size bread pan, or if I need to divide the dough into two loaves they will weigh the same amount, raise and bake in the same amount of time. Failed bread recipes is often from using the wrong size pan for the amount of dough. I also scale the dough for dinner rolls, burger and hot dog buns so they are the same size and will raise and bake in the same amount of time. Jumbo size pan - 10x4-1/2" - 4-5 c. flour = 2+ pounds of dough Quick bread pan - 9x5" - 4 c. flour = 2# Standard bread pan - 8-1/2x4-1/2" - 3 c. flour - 1-1/2 # Medium pan - 7-1/2x3-1/3" - 2-1/2 c. flour = 1# Small pan - 5-3/4x3-3/4" - 1-1/2 c. flour = 8-ounces #7. If you use the quick cycle on your bread machine, you will need to use a fast-acting brand of yeast (SAF-Instant, Quick-Rise, Rapid Rise, or Bread Machine Yeast). Active Dry Yeast will not work properly in the quick cycle. I keep two kinds of yeast on hand to accommodate bread machine recipes - SAF-Instant and Active Dry Yeast. If I use the fast-acting SAF-Instant in a recipe that calls for Active Dry Yeast, I reduce it by 25%. The recipes in the ZO manual will call for one amount if using a fast-rising yeast, and another amount if using active dry yeast. Many bread machine cookbooks will have the different amounts for each type of yeast. #8. The bread machine is great for a baking marathon. I fill the pan and set the machine to "quick dough". As soon as the dough has finished kneading I remove the dough from the pan and place it in a dough-rising bucket. Load the pan with the next recipe and do the same thing. I can quickly make 3 or 4 recipes using this method. The trick is using the bread machine for mixing and kneading ONLY, but NOT for the rising. If you pre-measure everything, you can have a recipe kneaded every 20 to 25-minutes, or so. #9. Add "chunky" stuff (raisins, nuts, dry multi-grain cereal blends, etc.), at the "add-in" beep, otherwise the rough edges will cut the gluten strands of the dough and you'll have a short, squatty loaf. If you add raisins before the add-in beep, they will be pulverized during the kneading and blended into the bread. #10. Have fun!!! Bread is very forgiving, but also very humbling, so expect a few failures and a bit of a learning curve to get the hang of using a bread machine. -Grainlady
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Try to use a two-jaw gear puller. https://www.grainger.com/product/48UU71?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI--bD44H94QIViFYNCh1KIAxJEAQYASABEgJ9DPD_BwE&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI--bD44H94QIViFYNCh1KIAxJEAQYASABEgJ9DPD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!50916772677!!!s!71852410159! You may be able to borrow one from an auto repair shop. dcarch
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bellsmom
12 years ago
I also have the new Zoji with the top browning element.
Here's a photo of my first loaf of bread, the basic bread from Zoji's recipe book. (with a slice cut off because I couldn't wait!)

And a photo of an apple spice cake:

Recently I have been choosing the darkest crust setting. These were cooked with the medium. Either way, the color is uniform on the top and sides.

I bought mine from BedBathandBeyond with a 20% off coupon. They were also available at about the same price from Amazon. Pricey, but I cannot imagine being more pleased.

I see no difference in color between top and sides and bottom in a loaf.

This post was edited by Bellsmom on Wed, Dec 18, 13 at 7:54
cloudy_christine
12 years ago
I sure do wish I'd waited a year and gotten the Zo that browns the top.
ci_lantro
12 years ago
Heads UP!

Amazon has an upcoming Lightning Deal on the Zo Virtuoso
BB-PAC20. Starts at 10 AM today. Remembered seeing in when I scanned thru the deals earlier this am. (Regular price on Amazon is $249--B,B&B has it listed at $279.)
bellsmom
12 years ago
ci_lantro
That is a great price! The Amazon deal price is $199.95 plus no tax and free shipping if you have Amazon Prime!
ci_lantro
12 years ago
Oh, it sure it a good price. I had to leave the house before the deal came up so didn't know what the discount was going to be.
shambo
Original Author
12 years ago
Who to thank first? Thanks Nancedar and Bellsmom for your testimonials. As I said, I really love my present Zojirushi because it does such a good job kneading. And I really like the standard loaf size feature. It was just the undercooked top that disappointed me so much.

Thanks, too, to Ci-lantro for the good price info. I haven't checked it out yet, but Amazon.com is my next stop after typing this message. If the deal is as good as it sounds, I may end up getting a Virtuosos for me too.

Nancy, thanks also for the glowing reports about the Virtuoso and gluten free loaves. One of my granddaughters has a gluten sensitivity, so we could actually make bread together when she visits. That would definitely be a fun project.

Any other opinions are welcome too. I'm off to Amazon...
shambo
Original Author
12 years ago
I just checked Amazon. The Virtuoso is listed at $249.95 while the Supreme is listed for $199.95. The Supreme is identical to the older model that I have. I also checked King Arthur Flour, and they're selling the Virtuoso for $279.95, so the Amazon price is better, especially if you're a prime member.
ci_lantro
12 years ago
Shambo, Amazon had the Virtuoso on a 'Lightening' deal earlier today for $199.95. When I checked on it this afternoon, there were only two minutes left to claim the deal...and only 60% had been claimed.....soooo, it might be back on the lightening deal in the next few days???
shambo
Original Author
12 years ago
Ci-lantro, how do you "find" a lightening deal? Just look up the item? or is there someplace special to look? Believe me, I'd love to find a cheaper deal on the Virtuoso if it's at all possible. Thanks!
justsaying
12 years ago
Amazon also has price match guarantee in case you find it cheaper somewhere else (love Amazon).

Anyway, I have a 15 year old Wm. Sonoma bread machine that produces a decent, browned loaf of bread. I'm sure they've improved on them since I got this one so might want to check into that brand. It is quite noisy, though.

I've read the Zorijushi is the best (I think Cooks Illustrated) but everything is subjective.
ci_lantro
12 years ago
Shambo, on Amazon's home page--at the very top of the screen next to where it will say 'Shambo's Amazon.com', click on 'Today's Deals'.

The first set of 'deals' will be the 'Gold Box Deal of the Day.'

Just below the Gold Box Deal will be the Lightning Deals. There will be a bunch of these limited time deals...scroll across to see all the current ones and upcoming ones. They have a time limit on claiming the deal & completing the purchase. I think it's a couple of hours but you'll see that when you click on an item & add it to your cart.

Another tip...when you get to the Lightning Deals, look over on the right hand side of the screen--Click on 'Sort by Category' to hone in on your area of interest (vs having to scan thru a bunch of junk you have zero interest in.)

Yesterday, there were a bunch of small appliance deals (Zo, Panasonic, Cuisanart, etc.)--not so much today. :-(

Anyway, happy hunting.
bellsmom
12 years ago
Shambo
Not as good a deal as the Amazon one was, but BB&B at 279 -20% with a coupon= 279-56=223 + tax. That brings it very close to the Amazon price. And BB&B has a super return policy if there is a problem.

If you don't presently get BB&B coupons you can sign up at any store or on line.

Either way, it is a wonderful machine.
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
12 years ago
"-----a Zojirushi BBCC-X20 ------ but it's not so great when it comes to baking in the machine. The top crust comes out much lighter than the sides and bottom. --------"

I wonder if it can get better if you put a few thick towels on top of the machine. Just the top of the bread compartment, not on the display panel and not on the sides.

I don't have a Zo to try it out.

dcarch
shambo
Original Author
12 years ago
DC, I haven't done what you suggested, but I did try covering the window on the inside with foil to keep any heat from escaping. No difference. I've looked at several reviews, and it seems to be a universal problem. But, as I said before, I mainly use the machine for kneading, so I'm not super disappointed myself. But for someone else, I'd like a machine that bakes more uniformly.

Does anyone have a bread machine that bakes really well?

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